Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2003 14:18:27 EST
From: Mansonknot41@aol.com
Subject: Joel-2
Well here is Chapter Two to my story. Once again, I do not know the true
sexuality of any of the members of Good Charlotte, especially Joel's who
this story is mostly about. This story is pure fiction so don't think
it's all true and stuff. If you have any questions or comments, please
email me at Mansonknot41@aol.com. Thank you and enjoy Chapter Two.
Chapter Two
Monday came with a warm sunny day. The sun was set high in the sky, the
humidity was just right, the breeze felt good on your skin. The grass was
a lush green, the birds flew silently overhead; it was probably the most
beautiful day I had seen in ages.
It was just too bad that I wasn't outside to enjoy it.
I sat in Mrs. Jenson's classroom and from the way it felt I was about to
scream. The announcements they had made over the intercom earlier in the
day said that the air conditioning had just up and quit. So here I was in
a classroom with a room full of sweating people, it was so hot that my
hands were sticking to the desk. I tried to take my mind off the grueling
heat and gaze out the window where I wanted to be. That seemed to only
make me think about it more.
"Will someone p-lease open the windows?" That was Gina. I was starting to
notice how bitchy she was.
Well she had been nice to me for most of the remaining day. When I had
gotten to school she had nearly pummeled me just to read my interview
with Good Charlotte. When Shannon had showed her the pictures she had
taken the girl almost passed out. Deciding to be nice, Shannon gave her
one not knowing that she had just made a Gina's day better.
A freshman quietly got up and opened four of the eight lined windows on
the wall. Everyone in the room sighed with relief once we all felt the
cool breeze touch our skin. I wanted to be out there more than ever then.
"This is absolutely wonderful," I heard Mrs. Jenson say. "Brent I knew it
was a good idea to give you this piece."
Looking over, I saw Mrs. Jenson put my article down and give me a big
smile. I couldn't help but smile as well. Mrs. Jenson always had a way of
putting me in a good mood.
"So did you and Shannon enjoy the concert?" Mrs. Jenson asked me. She
leaned back in her chair and propped her feet on the desk. Leave it to
Mrs. Jenson to make herself feel comfortable in any atmosphere.
After telling her what a great time we had, the bell rang for our last
and final period. I was heading out the door when Mrs. Jenson stopped me.
"May I talk to you for a moment? I promise it will only take a second."
She began digging through some papers on her desk. I didn't know what to
think. Mrs. Jenson was a woman of surprise, which I didn't mind. I was
just curious as to what she was going to spring up on me. After a few
moments, she found what she was looking for. It was a bunch of paper with
tiny printing on it stapled together. She handed it to me.
"What's this?"
"Brent, I have a couple of friends who work in New York and Chicago. I
have told them about you and your writing skills."
"What about them?" I asked. "Mrs. Jenson I really am not that great at
writing. In fact, I think that I'm just as talented as the next average
joe."
She put her hands up in protest. "Brent, no. Your writing isn't average.
You have a talent and you use it very well. In all my years as a teacher
I have never seen anyone who can write an article and even interviews as
good as you. You even have this unique way of writing that catches your
readers attention."
"I guess I am going to take that as a compliment." I said a little
flattered. I didn't think that she thought so highly of me. "So what are
these papers for?"
Mrs. Jenson leaned back on the front of her desk and crossed her arms.
"Those papers may be your way into the some of the highest read papers in
the world. The New York Times and some of the biggest local papers in
Chicago."
"You are kidding me."
"I kid you not, Brent. I sent some of your previous articles to some of
my friends who work with the editors of these companies and they called
me back and asked if you could fill out these papers to come and write
for them. They all said they could use someone like you for their paper."
I was speechless. I had thought it would have taken a couple of years of
college before I could even consider writing for someone of most read
newspapers in the world. But I didn't realize Mrs. Jenson was the one who
was going to help me out.
"Well I am still waiting on a response from some magazines," Mrs. Jenson
added. "You have a choice on what you want to do Brent. But remember, the
choice, any choice, that you make about this can effect your life
forever. So sit down tonight and think really hard on what you want to
do. You can start by reading those papers."
I said goodbye to Mrs. Jenson and made my way to my last period. All I
could think about on the way there was what decision I was going to make.
Mrs. Jenson was right. Whatever decision I would make would affect my
life forever. Either I take one of the jobs at the paper or a magazine
and become highly successful, or be kicking myself for the rest of my
life for not taking any of them.
I felt the anger rise up in me. Not like a rageful anger, but anger. It
seemed I was faced with a decision that I found I didn't want to be in
yet at the same time I did. Something was happening and I could feel it.
Change.
Yeah, that is what it was. It was change and I could tell that it was
just around the corner. Things were going to happen. Good things, bad
things it didn't matter. It was coming and of course I could not stop it.
In a way, I was ready for it.
I almost forgot about me giving my number to Joel.
I almost forgot about everything except for my decisions that I had to
make. The magazine people had finally gotten in touch with Mrs. Jenson
and they too had asked if I would consider writing for them. I didn't ask
what kind of magazines were asking about me. I didn't care. I just had to
make a decision. Mrs. Jenson had finally told me I had up to six months
to finally give an answer. That lifted a little off of my shoulder but
not much. It was all beginning to haunt me.
My phone rang about three weeks after the concert. I didn't expect for
Joel to even call so I was naturally surprised when I heard him on the
other end telling me who it was.
"Is this a bad time to be calling you?" He asked. He sounded so cute on
the phone I almost melted right then and there. "If it is, I can call you
some other time."
"No," I responded so quickly I even scared myself for a moment. "No, not
at all. I could use someone to talk to. Shannon isn't around so I'm one
less of a friend at the moment."
"Shannon?"
"The photographer."
"Oh." He laughed. "Now I feel a little bad."
"Don't."
"Listen," He suddenly said. His voice got kind of serious, and I could
notice a hint of nervousness in his voice. "I wanted to talk to you about
some things. I know I don't know you all that well, but like I said
before you gave me your number - I could use someone to talk to other
than the guys. Can I trust you?"
I was a little stunned. No one had ever officially asked me that
question. He hardly knew me and I hardly knew him. I didn't know what to
say to that question, so I said the first thing that came to my mind.
"Can you really trust anyone?"
"Well," There was a silent pause on the other end. "No, not everyone. But
I would like a friend outside of the entertainment business to confide
in. Some people around me are either too busy or too stuck up to talk to.
All I really need right now is a good friend that I can rely on. So do
you think I could be that friend?"
I thought about it for a moment. He was so sincere and honest that there
was no way I could pass up the chance and be his friend. He seemed so
nice and down to earth as well that I was telling myself that it was a
definite yes.
"Yeah Joel, I will be your friend."
"Can I trust you though? I need to know that I can trust you."
"...Yes you can trust me. I promise."
"That is good to hear. I have some things I should tell you about me
first since we are going to be good friends. Now, the reason I asked if I
could trust you is because some of the things are things that I really
shouldn't tell you because I don't want it to get to the press. I don't
know if I should even be telling you, but since you said I could trust
you I suppose I can wing it and be completely honest with you."
"That is what friendship is all about," I responded. "Honesty."
"Exactly," I heard him say. "So you aren't going to say anything?"
"No, I won't say anything."
"Good. These are our little secrets."
I felt myself turn red. I know I must have looked stupid blushing over
the phone, but he had this voice and this way of talking that did that to
me. I also realized that the warm feeling I had experienced at the
concert I was experiencing right then and had been since I heard his
voice. This time I didn't try to push it away. I kind of liked it.
"So what are some of the things you have to tell me?"
Silence.
"Joel?"
More silence.
"Joel, are you there?"
"Yeah," He finally said. My heart had begun beating really fast. "Sorry,
I just panicked. I didn't know what to say."
I laughed, "Joel you can tell me. I promise I won't make it embarrassing
for you."
I heard him chuckle. "Alright - here goes... Do you know why I asked for
your number?"
"We just talked about that. Of course I do. To have someone to talk to."
"Well yeah." He said. "But there was another reason."
"What was the reason?"
"What is the reason? Well... it is because I like you."
I froze.
"I mean, not just in a friend way," He continued. "I was attracted to
you. Oh god, I can't believe I am actually telling you this. Look I know
that you are probably straight and all -"
"No," I interrupted, finding the words to speak. "I am not actually. But
you surprised me. So you are gay?'
"Yeah," He replied. "Well at least I think I am."
"Do any of the other guys know?"
"Well, Billy does. Only because he is bi though."
"Joel, I thought you'd be bi."
"No."
"Oh," I said really not knowing what to say at that moment. "What about
your parents?"
"My mother suspects," He told me. "Don't know my father all that well so
I don't care about him. Anyways, moving on. I need to ask you a question.
It is a big one."
"Ask away."
"Ok, I will." There was another pause. "Alright, you are still in high
school right?"
"Yeah. Graduation is in like a month."
"Oh, well good. How would you like to fly down and spend some time with
us guys? After your graduation I mean."
"Well..." I said. The question was a big one. This wasn't something I
could just jump into. "Can I think about that?"
"Yeah no problem. Don't do anything you don't want to do. But hey, I got
to go do sound check right now for tonight's concert so I'm going to have
to go."
"Okay," I said kind of disappointed he was getting off the phone. "Well
call me soon and I will give you my answer."
"Great, alright I will. Catch you later."
"Bye."
I hung up the phone and walked over to my father's favorite big
comfortable chair and sat down. Great, I thought, just what I needed.
Another decision to make.
Well there is Chapter Two. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Sorry that it was
a little shorter than Chapter One. But anyways, email me your comments
and let me know what you thin. Thanks guys. Much love and all that crap -
me.